How was your Independence Day?

How was your 4th of July?
Did you feel a sense of independence from the past achievements of all who have gone before to make this great country what it is today? Or do you feel that we still have a long way to go to be independent from all that worries us in this modern life...?

I had a great time as I have for the 4th year in a row going to see my sister in small town Kansas, where the worries are less and the family atmosphere is evident everywhere. I think it would serve a lot of people well to return to a simpler time, where the biggest news in town was the crops that season, or how the copy cat in the newspaper room made his pawprint on the news (seriously)...but here we are in the "big" city happy with our fast internet service and our fast paced way of life.

We tend to take for granted all of the advances that we enjoy now due to the sacrifices and achievements of those who made this country great...and we stand to give up some of those freedoms if we don't value what we now have.

What will you do to keep your freedoms? What do you value? For some, it is "security" in a 9-5 job and the freedom to have your family in a nice house and live a comfortable life. For others, they value the freedom of calling the shots in their life and having a vision of their future, even if that means years of uncertain finances until they attain their goal. For others, they just want their children to grow up in a safe environment or want to be free from their own addictions or their past...what will you fight for? How much do you want it?

Freedom isn't free - it is earned and it is kept only through vigilance to your ideals - so keep your vision for your future close to your heart and don't let anyone take it away...and celebrate independence in YOUR life.

We are now famous!

Thanks to connections from Misty and the Convey Ink/Media team, our Fun in the Sun Summer Camp News Release was blasted out to 150 media outlets last Monday. As a result of that - and my efforts online here with DurhamMyNC.com - Josh Green from NC17 TV station came out and took some footage of our camp and our first week in progress. He spent over an hour with us and was genuinely interested, spending time talking with the children, the staff and everyone on how they like camp so far and what our mission is here.

It is a great snapshot of what we do on a daily basis, so far...as we grow bigger we will have more structured classes and not as much free time to talk to someone like him...but we really enjoyed it and are proud to be featured on DurhamMyNC.com now after being on the news last Thursday night.

Here is our Media page on Star-Foundation.org - this will show you our News Release, the NC17 link, and other media we have so far for Star Foundation and the Summer Camp.

http://star-foundation.org/media.aspx

We are glad our message is getting out there, and I am meeting people everyday that want to help us with the camp...so I am feeling tired but very blessed. We need to find those who want to help us with funding, and we are getting closer every day. This last week was free for the kids to come and try out the camp, and now starting Monday, it is only $100 a week including breakfast, lunch and a snack daily, M-F 8-5 pm, for the next 9 weeks.

We also will have monthly fundraisers for the community to come and participate in and benefit from - our next one is next weekend, June 27th 1-5 pm, and I think it will be a great event, with vendors, food, live music and 103.9 FM also coming out to broadcast for a couple of hours. We will have athletes from Duke and Shaw signing autographs and a demo from a state trooper. Come out and see what we are all about next Saturday if you are in the Raleigh/Durham area - we would love to have you bring your family and friends and help support us in our efforts.

What is your dream?

Are you a realist or a dreamer?

The realist will tell you that accomplishing anything in life feels like such an uphill battle, with no end in sight, and no way to win. Those people around you are often not willing or able to see the big picture, and they are not self-starters, but want to see the payout before they start "really" working.

Then there are the dreamers with vision. The ones who have a determination to succeed, and won't give up or give in, and work with all their heart for something they believe in, regardless of the outcome...and this is the amazing thing - they actually accomplish their dreams!

Which one are you?

What do YOU want to accomplish in life? You have to DREAM it first! Nobody dreams of living 9-5, paycheck to paycheck. But many of us do because we are not willing to step out of our comfort zone and take a leap of faith. If you want something to happen, often YOU are the one who has to take the steps to make it happen!

I started working with Star Foundation in April. I was told by Joyce Waller and Ron Williams that it was a youth mentoring program in Durham, NC, and I could help with the Summer Camp. I would be able to use all my years of teaching to mentor and teach these at-risk kids what it was like to DREAM about what they wanted to accomplish in their future...and actually have a chance at succeeding at it! If they want to be a fireman, or an astronaut, or a famous football player, we will help them take steps that help them realize their future.

Now it is June, and I am still working hard to accomplish the foundation of the camp this year, working with the Star Foundation team to create "our" future, and we are MAKING it happen! :)

Have there been bumps along the road these past two months? Of course there have been. LIFE is a learning experience, and no one can tell you it will be easy. But my commitment to the kids and to this team has not wavered, and I know I will see it come to fruition very soon. And my favorite thing in life is to accomplish something that will benefit someone else, not just me. So no matter what happens along the way, if I believe in myself, and use my gifts and talents for a higher purpose, then I will see great things happening that I could have never imagined.

For instance, I am in charge of finding community partners and I have been talking to some really cool people. I am now in a position where I can talk to other people who also want to give and make a difference, for us and other non-profits in the Raleigh/Durham area. It is rewarding for me to make these connections and develop these relationships. And as I meet more people and develop my understanding more and more of what Star Foundation needs, then the connections I have developed will continue to benefit the kids and the team.

We had our first Community Event last month on May 23, and the above picture and video here on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exas1vyVz2Q are of that event. Our next event is June 27th, two weeks after camp starts on June 15. We are calling this one a "Fun-Raiser" because we are focusing on fundraising for the camp, now that people know we are "here" and doing a lot of good for Durham and surrounding areas.

If you want to see our "dream" in action, come visit us on June 27th for our Fun in the Sun Fun-Raiser at the Zafa Temple in Durham, and enjoy the live music, the food, and the community partners and vendors that are coming out to support us - you will be able to dream a little more and then see what you can do to put YOUR dreams in action. See you there! :)

It WAS Fun in the Sun!

So...it finally happened...after all that planning and promotion...radio shows and advertisement online and in nearby neighborhoods, and that famous video...the day came, some people showed up, and a good time was had by all :)

We had a great time with the DJ singing and dancing up a storm on the porch/stage, and the firemen gave us a lesson in fire safety...Misty took a video of us...and I even took some pics which you see here. Many children got their faces painted and got wonderful balloon animals for their very own, and we even had delicious food from Chloes, vendors got to show off their wares (including me with my jewelry and Shaklee - which will both be used in the camp this summer!), and participate in the raffle, and we all went home tired and happy...

Now onto the next community event! We are planning our next one for June 13...stay tuned! :)

Fun In The Sun Community Festival

I am glad to have finally found a place where my love for kids and my love for "going green" can meet - we will be teaching the kids to value the earth, recycle, use natural products, do a little organic farming...but FIRST we will have a little fun at the Fun in the Sun Festival on May 23rd!

This is our first community event - I am sure there will be more. I am helping get the vendors lined up and other community partners and sponsors now, but will be more involved with the education/teacher side of things when camp starts on June 15, as well as still be a community liaison.

If you or anyone you know has an interest in contributing something (a skill or service) of value to a great non-profit located in Durham, NC - let me know by commenting here or emailing me at laurel@star-foundation.org. Thanks and God Bless! :)